Over the last week and a half, we have welcomed the student community of 2024/2025. We started with a group of seniors and post-grads who attended a retreat to prepare for their upcoming year of leadership development. Then the underclassmen arrived on Friday, and we spent two days having orientation activities that culminated in a field day on Sunday afternoon. Discovery Group teams challenged each other in races, games, and a tug of war to become the Orientation Champions. The excitement was palpable, and we have had a great start to the year.
Each year, we talk about Hyde's Working Agreements. These have been penned and refined by students over the years, and our discussion of the guidelines lays the foundations of our community culture. At Hyde, we believe that "who you are" is more important than "what you can do." If you focus on those aspects of your life you can control (attitude, effort, and character) then you will experience meaningful achievement. The working agreements can be found in the student guidebook, yet this list of Community Standards sums up much about who we are:
- We maintain an upbeat atmosphere with good-natured humor and banter.
- We encourage commitment from all members of the community.
- We challenge and support each other to be our best.
- We know the name of every member of our community.
- We do not support unproductive behavior and we address concerns in a timely manner.
- We strive to include people, not exclude them.
- We practice the Hyde words and principles on a daily basis.
- We are open with our sharing and respect that each person will share when they are ready.
- We respect each other even when we have disagreements.
- We meet regularly as a school to evaluate how the school is living up to its mission.
- We seek the help of others to reach our best.
- We embrace challenges outside of our comfort zone.
- We support our peers, our sports teams, and people doing school presentations.
- We do not lie, cheat, or steal.
- We refrain from substances and do not bring substances to campus.
- We do not tolerate or engage in hate speech, racial slurs, or derogatory labels.
- We do not quit, and we pride ourselves on being #hydetough.
- We maintain pride in our campus and grounds.
- We celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and the community.
We are going to have a great year!
Laura D. Gauld '76
President